Today, we can find many replicas of the Asante people from Ashanti region of Ghana. These stools have a long history and a meaningful purpose to the Asante people. The "Golden Stool" is a royal throne which dates back to the late 17th Century and the legend of Okomfo Anokye. Anokye was an Ashanti priest who established a set of customs and rules for the people to follow. It is said Anokye caused the Golden Stool to fall from heaven onto the lap of the founder of the Asante nation, Osei Tutu. The Golden Stool was called Sika Dwa Kofi, meaning "Born on Friday," since it came from the sky on a Friday. Priest Anokye declared the stool "the soul and spirit of the Asante nation," and unified the nation towards an effective government using the stool to develop a "common citizenship" requiring "every person of the Asante union to place their loyalty in the stool." Only a high chief could touch the stool, and a new ruler was only legitimate if they had possession of the stool. The Golden Stool itself never touched the ground; it always rested on a blanket or mat. Also, the Golden Stool was not used as a stool, but instead was more of a shrine for the Asante.*The picture noted above is a piece I currently have for sale on my website. It, as all my pieces, are original pieces from West Africa.
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